Protection was for nothing
by Smokes91
Summary: The autobots receive yet another group of new arrivals... But this time they get seekers. After trying their best to protect them, their efforts were for nothing.
1. Chapter 1

After sending out yet another signal to any Autobots that still may be out there. Eventually their efforts paid off, and they were approached by two different trines of seekers. At first some were wary, believing that all seekers were decepticons, but after proving that they were Autobots, were accepted. They were often called out to mission and battles, but one battle would end one trine. It was an accident that was never met to happen, a miscalculation that was never met to accur, but unfortunely it did, and one of the trines was killed. All three seekers from one the trines died. And the other trine was not happy at all.

After this event the Autobots did all possible to keep the other trine within the base, hoping to protect them, to avoid losing the only three seekers the Autobots had. But eventually the trine realised that the Autobots were only letting them go outside for casual social flights. They were never asked to join in battles and missions, and they were getting annoyed. They finally decided to approach their leader about it.

"Optimus we have had enough. We're not sparlings anymore, just let us out on a few missions" Skynight, the trine leader, stated.

"I can't risk losing the only seekers we have" Optimus replied. He knew this wouldn't go down well with his seekers. But he was doing it for them.

"What was the point in coming to earth when all we're doing is resting and doing light duties. If I wanted to do light slagging duties all day, I would have stayed on cybertron" Universe, another trine member, snapped. The third trine member, Asteroid, just nodded, agreeing with his trine members.

"Please understand. I want to let you on missions. But the Autobots and I have come to an agreement. You are the only seekers left on the Autobot side, we can not risk losing you" Optimus snapped, standing up, to show his full height.

Skynight took a few steps back from his huge leader. "I will not stand around and do nothing. We will fight, we don't care who we fight for, or when we fight. But seekers were not just built for flying" he explained, but this did nothing in changing Optimus' mind.

"I'm sorry Skynight, I truely am. But we can not have you killed aswell" he stated. "None, if you could excuse me? I have a lot of work to do" he said, walking over and opening the door.

Skynight just looked angerly at his leader as he and the other seekers exited the room. "What can we do noe Skynight" Asteroid asked.

Skynight looked down at the smaller, and much younger seeker. "It's ok. We will wait until we are giving clearance, and we will fly it off. Ok?" he asked, looking at the other two nodding.

An hour later... They heard what they wanted to hear. _"Seekers are clear for take off" _Prowl announced over the p.a. The three seekers had been waiting what seemed like forever for that announcement. And they were taking it as quickly as possible. Not even a breem later, the three seekers were at the gate waiting for the security alarms and forse fields to be lowered and they immediately took off. They assumed that they were out for a casual social flight... But this was no ordinary flight.

Half way up, Asteroid started doing tricks and flips, which caused the otyer two to lower their guard and join in. A mistake that they would regret. "Wow, I haven't done that in a long time. I feel out of practice" Universe stated, carefully steadying himself.

"Well we haven't had much time to do tricks. We just normally come out to stretch our wings. But this feels good" Skynight stated, as he entered a barrell roll. But they didn't realise that their tricks were bringing attention to them, very unwanted attention.

"I have them in sight Barricade" Payload announced, carefully aiming his cannons at the trine leader.

"Good. I want you to shoot them out of the sky" Barricade ordered, watching the three seekers doing aireal tricks.

"Yes sir" Payload said, as he aimed for Skynight and fired.

"Well we should probably..." Skynight couldn't finish his sentence before he was shot directly behind his spark chamber, by a decepticon cannon.

He cried out in pain and began to fall to the ground. "Skynight!" Universe yelled, as he and Asteroid drove to help their leader. By he time they reached their leader, Skynight had already offlined. "Asteroid we have to lower him carefully" Universe announced, as he and Asteroid grabbed Skynight and began t slowly fly to the ground.

When they landed they were greeted with an unhappy welcoming party. "It's not to often you see Autobot seekers Payload. Now that gives me two reasons to want to kill them" Barricade said, Payload began to laugh. "Pity they won't live long enough to warn the Autbots about how they will die" he finished. Both decpticons began laughing evilly to themselves. "Take them Payload" Barricade snapped.

Payload launced himself at Asteroid. But this only angered Universe. "NO! You will not tuch him" he yelled, grabbing Payload and throwing him into Barricade.

"Ow. You will pay for that" Barricade snapped, and launced himself at Universe. At the same time Payload launced himself at Asteroid and they began a battle, that the seekers couldn't win. Asteroid was knocked offline quickly, but it took more to knock Universe offline. But eventually both were knocked into stasis, and taken from teir leader. "We will hide them from him, and put them in a place where he will never find them. So that he can slwoly die believing that he had failed them" barricade explained, as he an Payload carried the two unconcious seekers away. Leaving the trine leader to fight for his life... Alone. If it weren't for Starscream.

Starscream and his two trine-brothers had gone out for a flight, when Starscream noticed an unconcious seeker. Without warning a quickly changed course to go down and help the seeker... Whether it was an Decepticon or not. "What do you think happened to him?" Thundercracked asked, watching as Starscream carefully knelt down next to the unconcious, and badly wounded seeker.


	2. Chapter 2

"I don't know. But I suspect that this was a decepticon attack" Starscream announced, hoping that the seeker was still alive.

"What should we do?" Skywarp asked.

"I need you to warp him back to base" Starscream stated, picking the seeker up and carefully handing him to Skywarp. Skywarp nodded, and suddenly disappeared.

When he got there he carried the seeker into the med bay and placed him on an empty berth. "Starscream's orders are for you to repair as much damage as possible" he explained to the medic, who immediately waked over to the unconcious seeker.

"It's not to often I see an Autobot seeker" the medic announced, scanning the seeker. "Well, it looks as though he has a cannon wound to the back of his spark chamber. That will take some time to fix" he explained, Skywarp nodded and walked out of the med bay, to wait for Starscream and Thundercracker.

The three seekers waited for the doctor to tell them some good news. As the doctor quickly walked out of the med bay, Starscream was in his face looking for answers. "How is he? Will he make it? Who did this?" he asked, the medic just pushed Starscream away a bit.

"He is fine, for now. I believe that he will survive. And I don't know why did this. But I believe you might" he stated.

The three seekers looked at each other, then finally understood what the doctor meant. "Where was it we found him?" Starscream asked.

"Cybors Valley" Skywarp announced.

"Exactly. And who was on patrol there?" Starscream asked.

"Barricade and Payload" Thundercracker stated, looking at his leader.

"They will pay for what they have done!" Starscream snapped, running down the hall to find Barricade. When he did, he was not impressed was the least to say. He run straight at Barricade and pinned him to a wall. "Where are the other two seekers, Barricade?" he asked softly. As if he were asked over a cup of energon.

"I don't know what you're talking about lord Starscream" Barricade said, gasping for breath.

"Don't lie to me Barricade. I'm not stupid, I have an injured seeker in the med bay, and I believe you and Payload took the other two!.. Now I am going to ask one more time, where are the other two seekers" Starscream asked, pushing himself closer to Barricade, cutting off as mush air as he could without killing him.

"We took them and placed them in the cave on the north side of the mountain. We wanted to let Autobot slowly die thinking that he had failed as a seeker and as a warrior" Barricde snapped.

Starscream growled angerly and pushing himself even closer to Barricade, cutting off every bit of air he could. "Well, you had better hope for your sake they're ok. Or I will be happy to ripped the spark from your very body. Do I make myself clear?" he said. Barricade nodded, unable to speak. "Good" he said, releasing Barricade. Barricade fell to the floor and began gasping for air. "Barricade... You are to take Payload to the cave and bring the seekers back. And if they are damaged beyound repair, or dead. I will tear you limb from limb, and then rip every piece of armour off of your body and then begin to tear your wires apart. Then and only then will I give you the death you so eagerly want, and tear the spark out of it's chamber!" he snapped, turning and walking away from the shaken up Barricade. He turned back. "Oh and Barricade, I warn you now. These seekers are under my protection. You harm them anymore than they already are. I will kill you" he said, walking away. This shook Barricade even more, but he had plans for the two seekers.

He went and got Payload, and began to plan a way of tormenting the two Autobot seekers, but didn't realise that Starscream had installed camera's all around the base. "Payload. We are to go and get the seekers, and bring them back to base... But first I want to have a little fun with them" Payload began to laugh as they walked towards the base enterance. This angered Starscream and he began to plan his own fun... He would torture Barricade until and begged for death, then he would grant it.

He explained what Barricade had planned to Skynight, and he hadn't taken it well, so he had to warn his trine mate. "_Universe, report"_ he said, on a private comm link.

"_Universe reporting sir_" Universe answered.

"_Universe. Watch yourselves, you have two grounders heading you way and they have... Less than pleasant plans for you_" Skynight warned.

"_I understand sir. Do you wan't us to kill them sir?_" he asked.

"_No. Only kill them if you have to. Just defend yourselves until I get there_" Skynght announced.

"_Yes sir_" The commlink went dead, and with that Skynight took off, followed closely by Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker.


	3. Chapter 3

When they got there, they were already too late. Payload had Universe pinned to the ground, and was ripping armour and wires out. Luckily Payload noticed Starscream when he did, otherwise Skynight would have killed Payload without thinking. "Lord Starscream, I... I'm sorry my lord" Payload announced, bowing down to the seeker in front of him.

"Universe, are you alright?" Skynight asked, walking over to Universe. Universe just nodded. "Where is Asteroid?" he asked.

"The black and white decepticon took him deeper into the cave. I don't know what he is doing to him, but I can feel a slight pain in my spark. Like somethings wrong" Universe explained, slowly finding his balance.

"I know. I can feel the same pain. But if I find Barricade he will feel nothing but pure pain" Skynight snapped, running in the direction Universe had told him.

Suddenly he felt a pain unlike any other. He felt like he was loosing someone, someone real close. The pain was excrusiating, but he had to push through, for Asteroid. When he got to the end of the cave, he saw a sight, he never wanted to see. He saw Asteroid was already in stasis, but Barricade was still straddling him, and ripping apart his amour. When Barricade noticed him, he got up and walked away from the unconcious, dying Asteroid. "Well, well. What are you doing here?" Barricade asked. Suddenly out of nowhere Starscream stood behind Skynight.

"I could ask you the same thing, Barricade!" Starscream snapped.

Barricade automatically dropped to one knee and and begged for forgiveness. "Lord Starscream. I'm so sorry I didn't want to but he was trying to escape..." but before he could finish his lies. Starscream interupted.

"DO NOT LIE TO ME BARRICADE. I AM NOT AN IDIOT. I WARNED YOU WHAT I WOULD DO IF YOU HARMED THE SEEKERS ANY FURTHER. I NO LONGER HAVE A CHOICE!" he yelled, lunging at Barricade and pinning him to a wall. But before he could do anything else, Skynight and Asteroid had disappeared. "They must be heading back to base" Starscream stated, throwing Barricade as hard as he could into a wall across the cave. Barricade hit the wall hard enough, to wind him, and he fell to the ground. "Consider this a warning Barricade. But next time I won't be so forgiving" he stated, as the three seekers walked out of the cave and took to the air.

"My readings show that they are heading the other way" Thundercracker announced.

"They must be heading back to the Autobot base. Skywarp, warp us" Starscream announced, as he and Thundercracker gripped to Skywarp. They disappeared and reappeared outside the Autobot base. Then they could see the other trine headed towards them. "Right on time" he said sarcastically.

"How did you get here?" Skynight asked, as he landed holding Asteroid protectively to him.

"My name's not Skywarp for no reason" Skywarp announced.

When they got to the med bay, after quickly explaining to Ironhide why they should let decepticons onto the base, Ratchet was waiting to repair Asteroid. "How did he get this badly damaged?" Ratchet asked.

"Barricade" Skynight said.

Ratchet worked silently after that until he had done all he could. "I'm sorry" Ratchet announced.

Skynight instantly knew what Ratchet meant. Universe could see tears start to collect in Skynight's optics, and drew him into a tight embrace. "It's ok. He's strong he can pull through" he said, but Skynight just buried his head into Universe's neck and began to cry. They had already lost one brther, and he for one, didn't want to loose another.

Skynight walked into the med bay to see that Asteroid's energy had dropped to 36%. "36%. That's too low for my liking" Universe stated, watching Asteroid's readings.

"Ratchet. How much longer?" Skynight asked, as Asteroid's energy dropped one more.

"Well. The rate he is dropping. An orn, if he can last that long" he said, watching as the tears filled my optics once again.

"Ok" Skynight said. Walking closer to Asteroid. Suddenly his energy dropped straight down to 30%. "RATCHET!" he yelled, jumping back as Ratchet ran to Asteroid's side.

"He doesn't have the energy to sustain his body anymore. His energy has dropped below critical. If his spark isn't given energy now. He will die" Ratchet explained.

Skynight looked back to Universe. "No Skynight, he needs too much. You'll die" he said, but Skynight didn't care.

"Doesn't matter. I have already lost a brother, I can't loose another. I just can't" he yelled. Before anyone could react, he was straddling Asteroid.

"No way. You can't do that" Ratchet snapped, making a grab for Skynight. But Skynight just slapped Ratchet's arms away. Ratchet couldn't watch as Skynight merge their sparks. Everyone knows that if you merge your spark with another's will give the other enery and strength... But quite frankly, Asteroid needed too much.


	4. Chapter 4

"I can, and I will" As Skynight opened his chest plates, he quickly opened Asteroid's chest plates as well, revealing the slow pulsing spark. Skynight reached down and carefully lifted Asteroid's upper body from the berth. Ratchet stepped back, knowing he could no longer intervene. Skynight pulled Asteroid to his open chest and could feel as Asteroid's spark lunged out and grabbed his. He moaned in pain as he felt Asteroid's spark begin to drain his own. He didn't care, he would be happy to sit and watch Asteroid take all his energy, as long as Asteroid lived. He suddenly felt too weak to hold him and Asteroid up, and collasped to the berth. He could feel Asteroid's spark continue to drain his for as much energy as possible, until he knew Asteroid would have enough to live. He attempted to drag himself off, but found he was too weak to move let only try to seperate their sparks. He could feel strong arms around me and pull me off the berth, he fell to the floor and looked up.... All Skynight could see was a dark figure reach down for me, but instantly knew it was Universe. He relaxed and let the darkness take him.

When he woke up, Asteroid was snuggled up next to him. He could see his readings as he realised that his energy levels were down to 43%, if it got below 40, he would fall into stasis. Asteroid suddenly onlined and looked up at his older brother. "Skynight" he said.

Skynight immediately drew his attentin to the young seeker. "What's up?" he asked, softly.

"Why did you do that? You could die" Asteroid said, hopping off the berth.

"I don't know. I guess I saw you in danger, and knew I had to help" he said, Asteroid backed away, and began to cry.

"You could die, and it's all my fault" Asteroid said, backing even further away.

Skynight jumped off the bert, and heard a beep as his energy fell to 42%. He walked over to Asteroid and pulled him into a hug. "Asteroid, I don't blame you. I don't blame you at all. I would be happy to die to save my little brother. I love you. And nothing will change that" he said, as he knelt down in front of the younger seeker. He heard another beep, as his energy fell down to 41%.

Suddenly Ratchet came running into the med bay. Follwed closely by Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Ironhide and Optimus. Ratchet just looked at the seeker, and then looked at his readings. "Skynight, get back on the berth. You're draining more than necessary" Ratchet yelled. Skynight got to his feet and suddenly felt dizzy, as his energy fell again to 40%. He started to fall, when Starscream jumped forward to catch him. Starscream carefully picked him up and placed him back on the berth. "You slagger" Ratchet snapped, looking at his readings, which seemed to stay the same, for now.

"What happens now?" Universe asked.

"I don't know" Ratchet stated. As he looked down at Skynight, who was thankfully still awake, but if his energy dropped again, he would fall into immediate stasis. "You can't put yourself under any stress. You have to remain still" he said, leaning in, to stroke Skynight's head.

Skynight seemed to enjoy this, and did something he never had in his entire life. "I'm sorry Ratch. I didn't mean to" he said, offlining his optics for a few klicks, but Ratchet didn't want him to fall into recharge.

"Hey, open your optics. Keep your optics open for me" he said, as he stopped stroking Skynight's head, it didn't take long for Skynight to open his optics. "That's it, now don't close them, keep them open" Ratchet said. Standing back up, and turning to the others. "I don't know what to do" he stated, truefully. He had absolutley no idea what was wrong with him.

"I do" Starscream announced, this got everyone's attention. "Lengend has it that if two leader's of two different trine's merge their sparks, then those two trine's almost become one, so their energy doubles" he announced.

Asteroid ran and clung to Starscream. "Please, Starscream. Would you?" he asked, looking up at the deceticon leader.

Starscream pulled away. "I would, but for one problem. I'm a decepticon, and he's an autobot" Starscream stated. He looked down at the young seeker, and his spark almost broke as the seeker began to cry. He knelt down in front of him and whipped away his tears. "I'm sorry. But it just wouldn't be right. Decepticons and autobots just can't merge sparks" he said. Asteroid just ran out of the med bay, and to his room. Locking the door, so no one could get in.

Two weeks later, and Skynight's energy had dropped down to 21%. Asteroid came in everyday and watched for any changes. And Starscream had had enough watching the young seeker suffer, and decided to see Ratchet about merging his spark with Skynight's. Ratchet was fairly pleased with his decision and allowed him to do it. But not without Universe and Asteroid being there. "Why are you doing this now?" Universe asked Starscream, as they walked down to the med bay.

"I couldn't handle watching poor Asteroid suffer any longer. This still may work" he announced, Universe thought for a second, and knew that there was more than just doing it for Asteroid.

Universe grabbed Starscream's arm and stopped him. The others looked back at the two seekers. "We'll catch up" Universe announced, slowly the others turned and walked away. Leaving Universe and Starscream alone. Universe made sure everyone was completely out of sight before turning his attention to the decepticon in front of him. "Alright. Tell me the truth. Why? You can't just be doing it for Asteroid. So what do you get out of it?" he asked, releasing his grip on Starscream.

Starscream turned away, knowing that he couldn't keep it a secret anymore. He slowly turned back to looked at Universe. "Ever since I met him, I've felt something for him. He's strong, both mentally and physically. I can't sit back and watch him die. That would just be a waste of pure talent. Plus he's a seeker. There's not too many of us anymore, we need to protect each other" he explained.

Universe almost couldn't believe him at first, but then realised that Starscream had no reason to lie. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" he asked.

"Because how many of you would have believed me?" Starscream asked. "Would you have believed me?" he continued. Universe just looked at the floor. "Precisely" Starscream said, placing a hand on Universe's shoulder. "We should go" he said, as he and Universe walked towards the med bay.

When they got there Ratchet was sitting on the berth next to Skynight. "Where have you two been?" he asked, getting up and allowing Starscream to do his job.

"We were talking. How is he?" Universe asked, standing next to Ratchet.

"Well let's just say, you got here just in time" Ratchet replied, watching as Starscream sat down and pulled Skynight to him. He carefully stood up and opened Skynight's chest plates, revealing his beautiful spark. He opened his own chest plates, and pulled Skynight off the berth, and held him defensively to him.

"I'm doing this for you" Starscream whispered in Skynight's audio processor, not loud enough for anyone else to here. He then brought there chests together, and watched as Skynight's spark jumped out and immediately gripped his own. He couldn't supress the groan of pain as Skynight began to take energy from Starscream. Starscream suddenly felt extremely weak and started to fall back, by Thundercracked lunged to catch him. Eventually Starscream could see that Skynight would need alot of energy, but didn't care. "Take as much as you want" he whispered in Skynight's audio. Thundercracker could feel Starscream and Skynight become heavy and carefully lowered them to the floor. Eventually Starscream slowly lifted Skynight off of him, and seperated their sparks.

"It worked. His energy is rising again" Ratchet said, noticing that Skynight was slowly coming to.

"Are you ok Starscream?" Skywarp asked, kneeling down beside Starscream and helping him to his feet.

"I'm fine" he said, kneeling down beside Skynight, and started stroking his cheek plates. "Come on Skynight. Wake up. Please" Starscream said, as he continued to stroke his cheek plates.

"Starscream" Skynight said, weakly.

"I'm here. Are you alright?" he asked. Skynight just nodded. "Come on. Let's get you up" he said, putting his arm around Skynight and slowly lifting him to his feet. Over the next few orns, Starscream and Skynight spent more time togeter, learning to act as one, then began to teach their trines to do the same.


End file.
